


A Little Bliss

by Nununununu



Category: Original Work, Undisclosed Fandom, You - Pearl And The Beard (Song)
Genre: Airships, Bards, Don't copy to another site, F/F, Fantasy, Flirting, Librarians, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Reunions, women with swords
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:00:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23917177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nununununu/pseuds/Nununununu
Summary: I've navigated the earthAnd for whatever it's worthI worship your every wordA reunion.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Comments: 10
Kudos: 10
Collections: Jukebox 2020





	A Little Bliss

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kiraly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiraly/gifts).



> For Kiraly - thanks for the lovely prompts :)
> 
> Inspired by the song '[You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd6zLXvzYPI)' by Pearl And The Beard, which the title and summary are taken from.
> 
> (Originally posted 16/05; date changed to match author reveals).

“Right,” Beca took a deep breath in. Glanced down at the big bundle of carefully rope-wrapped books she was carrying, rotated her shoulders to jiggle the sword at her hip and the ukulele strapped to her back to check they remained in place, shot a wild look at her reflection in the polished tin lid she used as a mirror – hair as neat as she could make it, face freshly scrubbed and clean from any signs of the last skirmish she’d stepped into, two bright spots of colour already high in her cheeks at the mere thought of seeing Emilie.

Emilie who was her best friend, who had been since they were girls together growing up on the great airship Emilie had never left. Emilie who never seemed to understand _just how happy_ Beca always was to see her. Emilie who was better than even the sweet, lovely young women Beca liked to make blush whenever she dedicated a win at the tournaments to them, or requested their names to weave into a song.

The airship was coming; Beca had been aware of the low hum of its engines through the soles of her sturdy boots for some time, and now she could hear it. By the tone of it, it was pondering along as usual, rarely ever in a great hurry, strong and sturdy enough to see off any threat from potential raiders without much threat to the ship. The fourteen cannons it carried no doubt helped with that too.

Already grinning, Beca nodded at her reflection in place of tipping herself a lucky salute, tucked the mirror away in a pocket, adjusted her hold on the bundle of books, and looked over her shoulder for the approaching airship as she left the little blossoming copse she’d slept the last night in and jogged over to the waystation, her heart beating hard in her chest as the time came to be reunited with Emilie.

The airship came, its sails and windows dazzling in the twin suns, the rounded shape of it so grand and immense, always larger than she had remembered it during her travels overseas. There was a handful of fellow passengers-to-be already at the waystation; Beca let them take the first few ladders, each reaching out to catch onto a handhold and scurrying upwards as the airship made its slow, stately pass.

Juggling the books so she had one hand free, Beca jumped onto her own ladder with a whoop, fumbling her landing on the lowest rung and almost tumbling backwards, tipped over by the weight of her sword. Her flailing fingers caught at one of the many windowsills lining the belly of the great ship and she wrenched herself forwards again, and then started the long climb, laughing for the sheer joy of it –

And a little for nerves. It had been three months this time – not long, all things considered, given she’d been off exploring on the southern continent once for nearly a year – and Beca was honest enough to admit to herself that it was only Emilie who drew her back really, everything was always Emilie; even when she was sweet-talking a pretty mademoiselle or a gentile older dame, she’d find herself rarely going any further than a little flirting, because there was a girl back home she just couldn’t forget.

And now she was going to see that girl.

“Beca!” A joyous voice cried from far up above, and Beca’s grin grew wider than ever, and she put her legs and arm into it, muscles working hard, heart beating ever harder, bursting into jubilant song as she climbed.

“Go on, lass!” People climbing the other ladders and peering over the edge from up above were cheering her on by the time Beca conquered the long ladder at the climax of the final chorus. Bursting over the side of the airship with a flourish, she landed squarely on the deck with both booted feet, sweeping what she could of her cloak out behind her as she gave a grandiose bow, the hilt of her sword knocking into the ukulele and nearly dropping her bundle of books as a result.

“Beca, you’re ridiculous,” Emilie was laughing in delight, launching herself into Beca’s arms as best she could the moment Beca straightened, pulling back again almost immediately so she could _ooh_ and _ahh_ at the books.

“Just a few – ah – _acquisitions_ for your library from far foreign lands, way over the thousand seas,” Beca informed her grandly with her best roguish wink, tossing her hair out of her eyes – a move usually guaranteed to win a few swoons and yet one that only ever made Emilie tut and fuss with Beca’s curls.

“You never remember to get that haircut, do you,” Sure enough, Emilie was smiling, fingers of one hand already delightedly stroking the spine of the topmost book where it lay bare between gently knots of rope. The fingers of her other hand went up to tuck strands of red hair away from Beca’s temples and Beca’s heart gave an almighty _thump_ , because being touched by Emilie always felt like being born into the world all over again, the twin suns that much brighter for it, the world around them all the more colourful, the –

“Get on and kiss her, girl!” A fellow passenger decided to holler some helpful advice, a number of people nearby smiling as they watched the reunion, and Beca grinned her appreciation of it, although –

“It _is_ good to see you, Beca,” Her own smile widening, Emilie ducked in to brush the very sweetest of kisses to Beca’s abruptly fiery hot cheek, Beca’s mouth drying out instantly at the feel of chestnut ringlets tickling her skin.

“I’ve missed you _so much_ , Emilie,” She burst out, unable to restrain herself, longing – longing so very badly – to dare do as that friendly onlooker had observed and sweep Emilie into a proper kiss.

But Emilie –

“Me too, Beca; I’ve been counting the days – the _months_! But you’re forgiven because you’ve brought me books,” Emilie was wrinkling her nose mischievously at the tease, practically jiggling in excitement as she honed in again on her gift.

There was no competition really – Beca could shout through one of those old fashioned megaphones, and Emilie wouldn’t hear her if there was a story to explore.

It felt like she was shouting all her feelings through that megaphone every time she saw Emilie, really, and while Emilie never said anything to turn her down, she never seemed quite brave enough to act on Beca’s more and more blatant hints.

Beca could only curse herself for – uncertain of her best friend’s feelings as she was – not having quite been brave enough yet to act either.

“I think I’ve got competition,” Rolling her eyes dramatically towards the heavens for the sake of their audience and getting some sympathetic laughs as a result, Beca raised an elbow when Emilie tucked her hand under it, her best friend already taking an unseeing step forwards across the deck, no doubt eager to lead her to the library.

“Come on,” But Emilie glanced up unexpectedly at Beca instead, her eyes clear and sparkling in the light from the twin suns. Looking not at the books any longer, but at Beca. “Come on and tell me all about your adventures.”

“Next time you could come with me,” Beca automatically teased, knowing Emilie would never be prised away from her library, her breath catching as Emilie smiled at her all over again.

“Maybe next time I’ll convince you to stay.”

“Oh, you might find a way,” Grinning, her face still hotly flushed, Beca let her best friend encourage her through the glass double doors into the interior of the airship, and vowed to herself that this time she would get her act together and lay things out nice and clear, and discover for once and for all whether Emilie had room in her heart for a wandering singer who would give the whole world to be more than a best friend.

This time.


End file.
